Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Fernandes and Michael Broussard.
Jennifer and Michael, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Michael and I launched Living Locket Films in 2016 after realizing how easily our family stories, memories and history can fade away, especially through generations. Just seven years earlier in 2009, my mom, Bette, passed away from Pancreatic cancer and losing her was the most difficult experience I’ve ever faced. My mom was the most kind and gentle woman with a heart of gold. She was an elementary school teacher and had dedicated her life to inspiring and educating the youth. Everyone absolutely adored her, I know I did. I remember being her little shadow, always wanting to be by her side and receive her praise. Losing my mom at the young age of 17, was undoubtably a struggle. All I wanted to do was make her proud, so I promised myself that somehow I would carry on her legacy of making a difference in people’s lives.
In 2013 Michael and I met in a television production class at California State University, Northridge and we quickly became inseparable. We loved to create together, tell stories, and had a passion for meaningful projects. As our relationship grew, Michael began to ask me about my mom and this was when it really hit me that in just a matter of years, memories of my mom that were once so vivid had quickly grown distant. I could no longer hear her laugh or see her beautiful smile without digging up an old photo album or VHS tape. I couldn’t believe that I had become so disconnected from someone who meant so much to me. It was almost as if I were losing her all over again. It was at this moment that I knew I had to do something.
Michael and I were inspired to create a tribute documentary in honor of my mom, a process which strengthened my memories and brought her back into my life all while giving Michael the opportunity to meet her. We talked with family members, friends, colleagues, and even some of her past students, capturing their favorite memories of my mom on camera. We then used old home video clips and family photographs to help illustrate her life story from childhood to present day. The final video truly brought my mom’s presence back into my life and even taught me more about her story than I had previously known. It was an indescribable experience that changed me for the better.
Producing this treasure for my mom led Michael and I to ask ourselves, “How are we going to ensure that our grandparent’s stories, parents stories and even our own stories are captured to be remembered and shared with our children one day? What about our grandchildren?Future generations?” It became clear that there was history all around us, which was slowly disappearing and we felt it was our purpose to save it. It became our mission to connect generations and capture family stories so they could be told forever.
Our work has and continues to make a difference in people’s lives and I am happy to say I am doing what I set out to do — make my mom proud!
Has it been a smooth road?
There is nothing easy about starting your own business, especially in a market that doesn’t really exist. Our journey with Living Locket Films began as we made the bold decision to walk away from our careers at Nickelodeon to follow our passion and pursue something that we knew would make a difference in people’s lives. When we first launched, we quickly discovered that our biggest challenge was informing the public of this entirely new concept in a way that they would understand its importance.
We invested a lot of time into building our online presence and made it a point to explain the purpose of our work to everyone we knew. We went door to door in local neighborhoods throughout the summer heat, passed out flyers at local events and constantly reached out to spread our message everywhere we could. We went a few months without a single client and felt really discouraged. Finally, we landed our first client and shared an experience which gave us the much-needed reassurance that we did indeed have a precious product that would bring others the same sense of warmth and comfort that my mom’s documentary brought me.
After completing our first project, word continued to spread and our schedule quickly started to fill up — so much so that we were booked out months in advance. I think it really helped that our business was being shared by those who had first-hand experience working with us and who believed in our product. This helped to establish an immediate sense of trust with our new customers, which is really important as our work relies on getting to know others on a personal level. Our business now thrives completely off of referrals and it is exciting to watch as more and more people find out about the work we do. While there is always a new challenge to face, it is important never to lose sight of your passion and the belief you started with.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Living Locket Films is a video production service that works with families to capture all of their favorite stories and memories on camera, securing precious moments and invaluable history so that it can be enjoyed forever. Our company is quite unique and the work we do is a new concept to many. We document everything from weddings to anniversaries to retirements to pets, however, our most popular service is our legacy videos!
Often times we work with grandparents or parents, discussing and capturing their life stories on camera from childhood to present day. This experience not only teaches family members about one another but is also impactful as it often instills older generations with a sense of purpose while allowing younger generations to discover their identity and connect with their heritage. The work we do is so rewarding and has made a much bigger impact than we ever could have imagined.
We are so proud of the momentum this concept has gained over the past two years and we look forward to the day legacy videos are as common as photo albums, where every household has one to chronicle their favorite times. Just think, generations from now families will be able to watch as their great ancestors share their life experiences and connections will be created within a family’s history like never before. This is just the beginning!
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
For us, Los Angeles is a great city to be in! After spending two years at Nickelodeon it was important that we maintained a connection to the television industry while pursuing our work with families. Although it would be possible to produce legacy videos from anywhere in the world, being in Los Angeles definitely gives us an upper hand as we stay current with industry standards and continue to expand on our experience.
In addition to running Living Locket Films full time, Michael and I are currently Directing and Filming a new show coming to CBS later this year. Being in Los Angeles definitely allows us the best of both worlds.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.livinglocketfilms.com
- Phone: (424) 274-2265
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinglocketfilms/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livinglocketfilms/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/living-locket-films-los-angeles?osq=living+locket+films
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
